Thursday, May 2, 2013

USCCB: FDA Approval of Plan B for 15-Year-Olds "Irresponsible"

WASHINGTON—The April 30 move by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) to approve over-the-counter sale of “Plan B One-Step” to
minors 15 years and older is a “disappointment,” said a spokesperson for the
Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
(USCCB).

“The FDA has
acted irresponsibly by approving sales of the powerful drug, single-dose Plan
B, for those 15 and older,” said Deirdre McQuade, assistant director of policy
and communications in the Pro-Life Secretariat. “The rule change subjects girls
to risks of STDs and manipulation by others, a risk that is compounded by
allowing males to purchase the drug even for girls under the age of 15.”

“Many studies have
shown that wider access to so-called ‘emergency contraception’ reduces neither
pregnancy nor abortion rates, but can contribute to higher rates of sexually
transmitted disease, especially among young people,” McQuade said, “No public
health consideration justifies the unsupervised sale of such drugs to young
teens.”

McQuade added, “While
the FDA is failing here in its responsibility to protect children, we continue
to hope it will appeal the April 5 decision by one federal judge insisting that
this drug be made readily available without any age limit at all.”

“Plan B One-Step” is a large dose of the
hormonal drug levonorgestrel. It is available only by prescription when used either
in two doses (in Plan B and its generic versions), or in smaller doses for
ongoing contraception.